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patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Martha, Feast Day July 29

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Jesus at the home of Marth and Mary by Harold Copping Public Domain Image
Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary by Harold Copping

The feast day of St. Martha is celebrated on July 29. Martha lived in Bethany during the first century. She was a devoted follower and friend to Jesus. She was the sister of Lazarus and had a sister named Mary.  St. Martha is the patron saint of cooks, housewives and domestic workers.

Martha is well known for two stories in the bible. In Luke 10:38-42 , Jesus is a guest in Martha’s home. While she is busy in the kitchen, Mary is sitting at the feet of Jesus, listening to every word he is saying. Martha goes to Jesus, complaining… “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.”

Jesus responded by saying,

“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

If we really love Jesus we should want to actually spend time with Him. This gentle rebuke must have stung. Service in the kitchen is an important part of hospitality. However, Jesus makes it clear that listening to his words is even more important. We need to prioritize our work and actually be present to and listen to Jesus. Sometimes, we can be so busy with our work, that we forget what it means to love someone.

Later in the gospel, Martha speaks to Jesus after her brother Lazarus has died. In John chapter 11, , Martha proclaims her faith when she tells Jesus “Lord, if you had been here, m brother would not have died.”

Jesus replied,

“I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

She answered, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” She was a witness to Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been in the tomb for three days.

Tradition tells us that Martha died of natural caused in 84 AD.

 

If obedience sends you to the kitchen, remember that the Lord walks among the pots and pans and that He will keep you in inward tasks and in outward ones, too.

Quote of St. Teresa of Avila; Feast day October 15

 

July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood

Saint of the Day, Spirituality

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Alphonsa, Feast Day July 28

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St. Alphonsa Public Domain Image
St. Alphonsa

The feast day of St. Alphonsa is celebrated on July 28.  She was born in Muttahupadathu, India in 1910.  She is the second canonized saint of India.

Baptized with the name Anna, she had a difficult birth and childhood.  Her mother died three months after she was born.  She was raised by her maternal Aunt.  After falling into a pit of burning chaff, her feet were badly burned leaving her disabled. At an early age, after reading the biography of St. Therese of Lisieux, she had a great desire to become a saint.

In 1927 at the age of 17 she joined the Poor Clares at Christ Convent at Bharananganam.   She took the name Alphonsa.  She completed her permanent vows in 1936. After completing her own education. Alphonsa taught school but she was plaqued by illness.She became known for her willingness to accept suffering.  After enduring several different types of illnesses over many years St. Alphonsa died at the age of 35.  Her tomb is a site for pilgrims due to the many reported miracles at the site. The miracle which was approved by the Vatican for her canonization was the curing of a child with a club foot. St. Alphonsa was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.

 

Since only grief and suffering have fallen to the lot of my Spouse, I too lovingly embrace them and my soul is at peace, though the body continues to be tormented.  For the last seven years I have ceased to be my own, being given over entirely to my Divine Spouse.  You know all that and now let the Lord do as He will with me.  It is not a cure I am anxious for but only that His Holy Will be fulfilled in me.

 Quote of St. Aphonsa

 

July is the Month of the Most Precious Blood

Carmelite Saints, Faith, Martyr

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: Bl. Titus Brandsma, Feast Day July 27

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Bl. Titus Brandsma Public Domain Image
Bl. Titus Brandsma

The feast day of Bl. Titus Brandsma is celebrated on July 27. His birth name was Anno Sjoera Brandsma. He was born on Feb. 23 in Fries land, Netherlands. Titus grew up in a small farming village. Bl. Titus knew from an early age that he had a religious calling. He applied to join the Franciscans but was turned down due to health. On Sept. 17, 1898 he joined the Carmelites. He took the name of Titus which was his father’s name. He took his first vows in 1899 and was ordained in 1904. Bl. Titus earned a Doctorate in Philosophy from the Roman Gregorian University.

Bl. Titus Brandsma taught at the Catholic University in Nijmegen. He was also a journalist and writer. He wrote against the Nazi propaganda which caused the Socialists to notice him. The Gestapo watched him closely after the invasion of the Netherlands. He was arrested on Jan. 19, 1931 for declaring Nazism was not compatible with the Christian faith. He was abused in prison for several weeks.

Bl. Titus Brandsma was deported to the Dachau concentration camp in June 1931. Although he was severely mistreated he asked fellow prisoners to pray for the guards. He wrote many reflections while in prison. When he was no longer able to work the Nazis used him for medical experimentation.

On July 26, 1931 Bl. Titus Brandsma was killed from a lethal injection. Before he died he gave his Rosary to the doctor who killed him. The nurse who assisted the doctor returned to the faith because of his witness to Christ.

St. John Paul II beatified Titus Brandsma on Nov. 3 1985.

 

They who want to win the world for Christ

must have the courage to come into conflict with it.

Quote of Bl. Titus Brandsma

 

July is the Month of The Most Precious Blood.

 

patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Bridget of Sweden, Feast Day July 23

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St. Bridget of Sweden by Heliga Birgitta Public Domain Image
St. Bridget of Sweden   by Heliga Birgitta       

The feast day of St. Bridget of Sweden is celebrated on July 23. St. Bridget of Sweden was born on June 14, 1303. She was the daughter of Berger Persson and wife, Ingeborg. Her family was wealthy, pious, and went on long pilgrimages to the Holy Land.  St. Bridget of Sweden is  the patron of Sweden, Europe, and widows.

At the age of ten her mother died. Her sister Kathleen, infant brother Israel, and Bridget were sent to her maternal aunt for education and care. As a young child Bridget had a vivid dream vision of The Man of Sorrows. When she asked who had done this to him He responded,

“All those who despise my love.”

This dream vision left an indelible mark on her.

She married early, as was the custom, at 13 years old to Ulf Gudransson. They had eight children, four sons and four daughter. The newly married King of Sweden asked her to be a Lady in waiting and teach the young queen the language and customs of her new country.

St. Bridget became a widow when she was 41 years old when her husband died of severe illness. She prayed for guidance, after which she founded a new religious order (The Brigitta’s), mainly for women. She reported many visions and revelations, some which can be found in the “Fifteen Prayers of St. Bridget”.

In August, 1370, Pope Urban V confirmed the Rule of her congregation. Bridget made earnest representations to Pope Urban, urging the removal of the Holy See from Avignon back to Rome.

In 1349 she journeyed to Rome where she stayed until she died in 1373.

 

My Lord Jesus Christ, Your blessed, royal, and magnificent heart

could never, by torments or terrors or blandishments, be swayed,

from the defense of Your kingdom of truth and justice.

Quote of St. Bridget of Sweden.

 

July is the Month of the Precious Blood.

 

Faith, featired, Prayer, Spirituality

Catholics Nourished by Living Bread

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Monstrance Body and Blood of Jesus Christ
Monstrance
Body and Blood of Jesus Christ

Catholics Nourished by Living Bread

At the center of the Catholic faith is its’ belief in the Eucharist. Jesus Himself said:

“I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6, 35).

In John 6.53 He states,

“Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day, for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.”

The church has always interpreted this statement to be literally true. How is this possible? All things are possible with God!!

In the Old Testament, God rained down manna from the sky to feed the Israelites in the desert for forty years. The Eucharist is modern day manna. Our faith is nourished and kept alive by living bread… the body and blood of Jesus Christ. St. Paul teaches us that the church is the Body of Christ. In I Corinthians 12-13 St. Paul states:

“For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-Jews or Greeks, slaves or free-and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.”

The Saints in the early church all professed a belief in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.   Justyn Martyr (100-165) was one of the first to try to explain this belief.

Next Sunday, we celebrate Corpus Christi (The Body of Christ). It is important for us to reflect on how Jesus came to nourish us, not only by scripture but by being true food for us.

Through God all things are possible. When we read the bread of life discourse (John 6), we need to ask ourselves, do we truly believe what Jesus tells us, or like the disciples who turn away do we pick and choose the teachings of Jesus we want to believe.

To quote St. Augustine ((354-430),

“If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it’s not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

To be true disciples of Jesus, we must get to know Him, to love Him and let ourselves be fed by Him.

 

Apostle, Faith, Martyr, patron saints, Saint of the Day

Prayers, Quips and Quotes: St. Philip and St. James, Feast Day May 3

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Martyrdom of St. Philip by Jose Ribera Public Domain Image
Martyrdom of St. Philip
by Jose Ribera

The feast day of St. James the Lesser and St. Philip is celebrated by the Church on the same day, May 3. They are both Apostles and martyrs.

St. Philip was also one of the original apostles. He was born in Bethsaida, Galilee and was a follower of John the Baptist. He was present at the multiplication of the loaves and fishes. He was also present at the Last Supper. During the Last Supper, it was Philip who asked Jesus to show them the Father. Jesus responded by teaching them about the unity of the Father and the Son. After the resurrection Philip preached in Greece and Syria. St. Philip died a martyr. He was crucified upside down at Hierapolis under the rule of Emperor Domitian.

St. Philip is the patron saint of cooks and bakers.

St. James the Lesser was one of the original twelve apostles. The title Lesser probably meant he was younger than James the Greater. James was a cousin of Jesus and brother to St. Jude Thaddeus. St James the Lesser was the first Bishop of Jerusalem. He was known for his devotion to the poor. He was beaten to death with a club while praying for his attackers.

St.James the Lesser is the patron saint of fullers and pharmacists.

Martyrdom of the Apostle St. James the Less by Master of the Winkler Epitaph Public Domain Image
Martyrdom of the Apostle St. James the Less
by Master of the Winkler Epitaph

Teach us to be generous, good Lord.  Teach us to serve You as You deserve; to give and not to count the cost; to fight and not to heed the wounds, to toil and not to seek for rest, to labor and not to ask for any reward save that of knowing we do Your will.

Quote of St. Ignatius of Loyola; Feast day July 31

 

May is the Month of Our Lady.

 

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